


The Oldest Surviving Wooden Building

by kahuragani



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Gen, Historical Hetalia, Immortality
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-24
Updated: 2021-02-24
Packaged: 2021-03-14 06:40:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 253
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29663283
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kahuragani/pseuds/kahuragani
Summary: And the only place Japan could always go to.For historical-hetalia-week!
Comments: 1
Kudos: 9
Collections: Historical Hetalia Week (February 2021)





	The Oldest Surviving Wooden Building

** 607 AD **

"Why are we using cypress wood, Kiku?"

"They're strong."

"More specifically, they're long lasting. These trees," Japan's mentor said as he gestured to the forest, "have been here for hundreds of years. And once the temple is built, they'll last for hundreds more. It won't rot for long after we're gone."

_What about me? Will it live just as long?_

The men began the cutting down the big cypress tree. It was Japan's first time doing something like that, he was still a young teenager, and had only been studying how to read trees. 

They hauled it to the foundation and resumed construction. Each floor would represent one of the elements; land, water, wood, wind, and sky. Of course, they started with land. Where all the others rested upon, what formed Japan.

•

It took countless hot days and tired nights, but eventually the first Buddhist temple in Japan was completed. It was beautiful.

But Japan's mentor was more than right. He never saw the temple fall, and he never saw it rise.

The regret filled Japan, and tears spilled out upon the temple floor, hitting the wood so carefully laid.

•

Japan had lived through hundreds of years. 

He'd seen forests turn to cities, cities to ash, and ash to forests. 

He'd seen countless reincarnations of his people, the people that were his blood. 

The only thing that was always there, never moving, the only one who could grow old with him, was Horyuji. The oldest surviving wooden building in the world.


End file.
